in the end hagel thinks about israel or iran isn't going to make much difference. it's the president that is going to make the call. >> gregg: let me quote you in that regard. we'll put it on the screen. it's really about opposition to obama, opposing hagel as way for republicans to remind the president not to take them for granted. aaron, if you are right, my goodness, that is ridiculously petty? >> petty -- i think you have a couple things. obama is one of 17 american presidents to re-elected to a second term. if the reality what has happened so far. that reelection hasn't given him a lot of influence or power. whether the debt ceiling, gun control, fiscal cliff, his first nominee for secretary of state susan rice, republicans are here to remind him that they are significant opposition, number one. number two, their own foreign policy, they are trying to figure out a way in the wake of bush 43 to identify a foreign policy muscular foreign policy that is different than the democrats. i think a lot of this is feeding the controversy. >> gregg: fair enough. you also